Bolt for valve cover?

Hey fellas,
So, I'm putting this bike back together slowly. (note: i bought the thing in pieces...) I know that the valve cover should have bolts that have a little rubber doughnut seal type thing on them. The four in the center of the valve cover are different than the eight on the outside, right?

I found three of what i think are those center four bolts. I'd be much obliged if somebody could verify that's what i've got (and perhaps the proper name for them, so that I can sound maybe a little less like a moron...).

 

Yep, that's a center bolt alright.

It needs a new "donut," that one is baked flat.

Those donuts are what push the cover down; notice the collar on the bolt just above the threads? That collar is as far as they get tightened; it's up to the donuts to push the cover down.

Be sure to replace all 12 donuts (the center ones of those are different too) along with the gasket.

Outer bolt on left, inner bolt on right, with old donuts on them, and new donuts in the foreground, illustrating compressed bakeage:




Pic is from the valve adjustment how-to: http://xjbikes.com/Forums/viewtopic/t=14827.html

 

thanks fitz!

Those things are pretty pricey.

Sucks...

 

I have a few spare center bolts, if you need one. It'll need a new donut, but you may have the bolt for the cost of shipping it to you.

Incidentally, I had to replace all the donuts plus the valve cover gasket.
($$$!!)
The PO, aka Ham-Fisted Monkey, had over-torqued each and every bolt, which naturally stripped the threads from the soft aluminum head.

I used Permatex thread repair, which claims to be good up to @300°
I've test-run the bike pretty hard, and so far the bolts are holding nicely.

 

Once you replace them all once, they're good for a long time after. It's just that most of thses bikes still have the originals in place, which generally have lost all flexibility.